According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell again last week. It was the fourth consecutive weekly decline and brought rates to the lowest level since July. Decreases were seen for 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, 15-year fixed-rate loans, and 5/1 ARMs. Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s senior vice president and chief economist, says economic indicators are bringing rates down. … [Read more...]

The new home market benefited from a lack of existing homes for sale in 2023. Low inventory of previously owned homes meant many buyers turned to new homes when looking for options to buy. That was an opportunity for home builders. Now, according to a new report from the National Association of Home Builders, new home construction has begun to slow due to elevated rates, climbing costs, and labor shortages. Robert Dietz, NAHB’s chief economist, thinks it’ll rebound quickly. “The data continues to show that home … [Read more...]

Your mortgage payment will be among your biggest monthly bills. That makes it an important number to familiarize yourself with before buying a house. After all, no one wants to buy a house that will lead to financial stress and money worries. So what does the median mortgage payment look like now? Well, according to the most recent numbers from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Purchase Applications Payment Index, the median payment applied for by purchase applicants increased to $2,199 in October from $2,155 the … [Read more...]

A new report from ATTOM Data Solutions looks at affordability, foreclosures, and underwater mortgages in an effort to determine which housing markets across the country are most vulnerable to decline. Its findings provide a map of exactly where the housing market is strongest and where there may be weaknesses. So where are the country’s strongest markets? Well, the report shows the vast majority of the country is on good footing. Among the 578 included counties, the South was the strongest region with 18 of the 50 … [Read more...]

Fannie Mae’s monthly Home Purchase Sentiment Index is based on a survey which asks Americans for their view of the housing market and their personal financial situation. The survey gauges how respondents feel about buying or selling a home, mortgage rates, home prices, their job security, and income. In November, the index was relatively unchanged, as Americans’ perception of the market has remained stuck since the first half of the year. A majority of respondents still say they believe it’s a good time to sell a … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell again last week. Rates were down across all loan categories, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, 15-year fixed-rate loans, and 5/1 ARMs. Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist, says rates are now at a four-month low. “Mortgage rates declined last week with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage falling to … the … [Read more...]

More often than not, home buyers are shopping for a new home because they have to be. Major life changes like marriage, starting a family, or a new job can mean it’s time to move regardless of what’s happening in the housing market. Other times, buyers have some flexibility. Maybe they’d like to move but can wait for more favorable market conditions. These days, there are a lot of buyers who’ve been on the fence for a while. Competition, higher prices, lack of inventory, and rising mortgage rates have had many … [Read more...]

December is the time of year when housing market experts release their forecasts predicting what they believe will happen in the year ahead. So far, market experts have generally been optimistic about conditions in 2024. And, according to one newly released forecast, one of the top reasons for their increased optimism is the likelihood that the inventory of homes for sale will improve. Why does that matter? Well, too few homes for sale has been a big frustration for today’s home buyers. Not only has it led to more … [Read more...]

When a contract to buy a home is signed, that home's sale is considered pending until it closes weeks later. The National Association of Realtors tracks pending sales because they're considered a good indicator of future home sales numbers. After all, most contract signings will eventually lead to a closed sale. The NAR's most recent Pending Home Sales Index found signings down 1.5 percent in October from the month before. Lawrence Yun, the group's chief economist, says low supply is slowing signings. “Home sales … [Read more...]

Finding a home that fits your needs wouldn’t be difficult if money wasn’t a factor. But since most of us have to consider our budget before buying, finding a home can sometimes be challenging – especially in a housing market where costs are rising. That’s been the case for most of the past two years, as mortgage rates and home prices both continued to climb. So what’s in store for 2024? Well, according to the National Association of Realtors’ consumer website, affordability should start to improve next year, giving … [Read more...]